Picket fence construction



Oct. 25, 1955 N. A. EDDY III 2,721,727

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PICKET FENCE CONSTRUCTION Filed March 28, 1952 2 Sheets5heet 2 INVENTOR /Ven/e IQ fd@f/Z ATTORNEY United States Patent O PICKET FENCE CONSTRUCTION Newell A. Eddy III, Bay Cify, Mich. assignor m Habitant Fenee, Inc., Bay City, Mich.

Application March 28, 1952, Serial N0. 279,087

4 .Claims. (C1. 256-24) This invention relates to picket fences, and more particularly to a new and improved picket fence which can be readily assembled of prefabricated sections.

One of the prima objects of the invention is to design a strong and dnrable picket fence which can be readily assernbled at the factory in sections, whence the sections can be transported to the desired location and the fence finally erected. l

Another object of the invention is to design a picket fence which includes concealed supporting rails and does not expose unsightly rails or wires on either face, so that the fence is equally attractive on both sides.

A further object of the device is to design a fence of the type described which includes concealed supporting means wherein the pickets can be assembled in intimate, side-by-side relation, so that there Will be no finger or toe holds, presenting smooth, undulating wall surfaces which cannot be easily clirnbed.

A further object is to design a picket fence which can be pre-assembled in sections at the factory, and which includes support rods protruding from the ends thereof, and which are readily accommodated in openings provided in the accompanying posts, so that the fence can be erected quickly and easily by an unskilled workman.

A further object of the invention is to design a picket fence including support rods on which the pickets are strung and clamped tightly together and then released after the fence has been erected to expand and fill any gaps between the end pickets and the post.

A still further object of the invention is to devise a simple and practical method of assembling and erecting the fence.

With the above and other objects in view, the present invention consists in the combination and arrangement of arts, hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that changes may be made in the form, size, roportion, and minor details of construction, without departing from the spirit, or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is' a front elevational view of a pre-assembled fence section mounted in place between two fence posts.

Fig. 2 is a front elevational view of a similar fence section made up of pickets of gradually decreasing height.

Fig. 3 is a perspective plan view of the clamping frame used in assembling the fence sections, showing a finished section in place thereon.

Fig. 4 is a transverse, sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Referring new more particularly to the accompanying drawings in which I have shown the preferred ernbodiment of my invention, a letter F generally designates my fence, which includes a plurality of bark stripped pickets 9, of circular cross-section, strung on vertically spaced, horizontally disposed, galvanized pipe sections 10 as shown, aligned bores 11 being provided in the pickets 9 to accommodate the pipe sections 10.

The pipe sections 10 project from the end pickets a short distance as at 12, and openings 13 are provided in the posts 14 to receive them. The butts of the posts are anchored in the ground and are preferably treated with a preservative as usual, the tops of the posts being pointed in the well-known manner as are the tops of the pickets 10, so that the whole fence presents a neat and pleasing appearance over its entire length.

In most cases, it is desirable to prefabricate the fence in sections at the factory, and the instant construction makes possible the formation of sections of standard or varied length which are easily transported to the deslred location. The final assembly cf the pre-fabricated fence is then relatively simple for an unskilled workman.

In assembling the fence sections, the pickets 9 are first strung on the galvanized pipe sections 10 and then rigidly clarnped together in the clamping frame C. This frame or assembly bench C includes a frame 15 mounted on legs 16 and serves to support the fence sections during assembly. Transversely spaced stops 17 are mounted on the one end of the frame 15, and clarnp screws 18, including clamp plates 19 on the ends thereof, are threaded in anchor blocks 20 mounted on the opposite end 0f the frame 19. An opening 21 is bored in the centrally disposed stop 17 through which the center pipe section extends, as shown in Fig. 3.

Handles 22 are provided for the clarnp screws 18, and after the last picket has been strung, leaving predetermined lengths of pipe projecting at both ends of the fence sections, the clamp screws 18 are actuated to tightly compress the fence section. The pins 23 are then inserted in passages drilled through the end pickets and pipe sections therein, and serve to hold the pickets tightly clamped, so that the clamp plates 21 can be released and the completed fence sections removed from the clamping frame C. These sections can of course, be made up in any length, in pickets of gradually decreasing or increasing height, if desired. The prefabricated sections are then transported to the place of erection whence the projecting ends of the pipe sections 12 are inserted in the openings 13 in a post 14, the opening having been bored to approximately the diameter of the pipe sections 10 and in alignment therewith. This post 14 has, of course, first been anchored in a post hole in the ground as usual, and its butt end properly water-proofed. A similar post 14 is then positioned in a post-hole dug at the opposite end of the fence section, so that the projecting ends of the pipe sections on that end of the fence section are accommodated therein, after which the pins 23 are removed so that any gaps between the endmost pickets and the posts are filled, and a smooth, undulating surface is presented over the entire length of the fence.

lt will thus be seen that I have designed a new and improved picket fence construction which is attractive in appearance, and which can be econornically massprefabricated in Standard sections at the factory.

What I claim is:

1. A fence construction comprising a plurality of pickets in side-by-side, tightly compressed relation strung 011 verlically spaced-apart rods, said rods extending beyond the endmost pickets and fence posts anchored in the ground adjacent the end pickets, said posts having vertically spaced recesses to accommodate the ends of said rods, the distance between the posts being less than the width of the plurality of pickets when the latter are in uncompressed relation so that said fence is retained in tightly assembled relation by the expansion of said pickets into bearing engagement With said posts.

2. A fence construction comprising a plurality cf pickets arranged in intimate, tightly compressed, side-by-side rel'ation to form a fence section, and having vertically spaced, aligned bores extending through each picket, pipe sections mounted in said bores and projecting beyond the ends of said section, fence posts anchored in the ground adjacent the and pickets, said posts having recesses in alignment with said pipe sections t0 receive said pipe sections, Ihe distance between said posts .being lass .than the width of the section when the pickets are in uncompressed .relation so that the fence is retained in tight1y assembled relation by the expansion 013 said section into bearing engagement with said posts.

3. A fence construction comprising a plurality of pickets in side by side, tightly compressed relation, at least one laterally disposed .1'0d on which said pickets arc strung whose ends extend beyond the endmost pickets on both ends of the plurality cf pickets, and fence posts anchored in the ground on both.ends of the Plurality of pickets having-openings .therein to receive the ends of said rod, Ihe distance between said posts being .1ess than the width of the plurality of posts when the latter are in uncom- 20 pressed Te'lation so that said fence is retained tight1y assembled by the expansion of said pickets into bearing engagement With sa'id posts.

4. A picket fence sectiqn comprising a plurality of vertically disposed pickets, laterally disposed rod rneans 0n which said pickets are strung in intimate, tightly compressed side-by-side relation, said rod means projecting outwardly beyond the endmost pickets, said section being provided with openings, transverse to said pickets and rods, through said endmost pickets and the rods therein, and removable transversely extending pins in said openings to hold said pickets in tightly compressed relation.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1846,605 Maxcy Feb. 23, 1932 1965883 Cotton July 10, 1934 2564866 Van Tassel Aug. 21 1951 

